Another mill holding question..

[MM57Participant @mm57]

So if I get a milling machine with a MT2 taper, one of the reasons (not #1 reason) is that I can use my myford MT2 lathe tools with it.

But my myford drill chucks (yes, I would normally use collets, but If I just wanted to stick a chuck in for general purpose drilling…) are MT2 tang type – so it seems I can't use the draw bar to hold them in. I also have other assorted MT2 tang type tools which are obviuosly fine on the lathe. What to do?

(first post – be gentle! Ta, Martin)

[MM57Participant @mm57]

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

H Martin ,

Many drill chucks will come off their taper shank so a new one with drawbar tapping can easily be fitted .

Can be bought in many cases but easy enough to make taper shanks – make a box full while you are at it – finish the 2MT and leave blank bit to be finished later .

Some expert model engineers will argue that a draw bar is not needed anyway on a drill chuck in a milling machine . Half true – you will often get away with it – but just one incident of a jammed drill or sideways bump when running and out will come taper , chuck and drill – usually doing damage in the process . Better to be safe .

Regards ,

MikeW

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Martin

Welcome to the forum.

Most milling machines are Mt3 not MT2, but you can always use a sleeve. I wouldn't choose a smaller mill just so I could use MT2 in it direct.

Neil

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

You shouldn't need a drawbar with a drill chuck. The tang type should do, after all that's what's used on drilling machines.

It is possible that it will pull out but I've only had that happen when drilling brass with a drill ground for steel not brass.

Russell.

[MM57Participant @mm57]

Ah – I see the light

I didn't realise my chuck tapers were push fit at the chuck end until I looked more closely and for example on my big Jackson chuck the taper is marked MT2/3JT on the tang…well they appear to be push fit, no idea how to get them out, they're in there good and proper..any ideas?

…and I see a whole new type of tooling I'd never realised existed before, e.g.:
**LINK**
including MT2 drawbar to various JT sizes

I'm considering a Optimum BF20L, ultimately for CNC conversion as it's pretty much an American G0704 and there's load of info about that on t'Internet – but it's MT2 (really wanted R8) and its gear-drive (really wanted belt drive), so not quite fitting the bill right now…it's just got more Y travel and allegedly more rigid than Sieg SX3 with R8/belt drive..any comments on that particular hornet's nest (!)?

[Gone AwayParticipant @goneaway]

I usually use ER32 collets on my (R8) mill. I fitted a bunch of drill chucks with 1/2" parallel arbors so they can just slip into a 1/2" (or 13mm) collet.

Makes it fairly quick to swap tools – no messing with drawbars and the collet chuck is rarely removed

[Anonymous]

If you're ultimately looking towards CNC I'd go for the R8 taper. More accessories available and better repeatability in Z for tool changes.

Regards,

Andrew

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

Hi Martin
Welome to this forum . From experiance if using MT always use a draw bar even if you have to make one . any virbration when cutting will result the cutter and holder will come out and ruin the job you have spent a long time on . It may have been said before dont use slot drill or end mill in a drill chuck .
The system i use on my small mill drill lashup the drill chuck cutter holders screw on . also a braw bar fitted to the old Kerry back geared drill
Regards Nobby

 

Edited By Nobby on 02/09/2013 17:47:13

[NobbyParticipant @nobby]

HI Again
Have a look at these screw on cuuter etc

Regards Nobby

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Get R8 taper, then buy an R8 – MT2 sleeve to use your drill chuck. R8 vastly superior for holding milling cutters and the collets are fairly cheap.

[MM57Participant @mm57]

Excellent – thanks for all the advice and the welcome.

Looks like Sieg Super X3 (R8/belt drive) rather than Optimum BF20L (MT2/gear wheel drive) then, and live with the reduced Y axis travel…I called Arc Eurotrade and they are expecting "loads of" Sieg SX3 with R8 to be in stock in October.

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